The Importance of Gratitude in Addiction Recovery

He and his colleagues conducted multiple research studies regarding the impact of gratitude on physical health, psychological well-being, and our relationships with others. They tested whether the simple incorporation of gratitude journaling for 3-weeks would positively affect these areas of participants’ lives. To truly harness the power of gratitude in the recovery journey, https://internet-law.ru/forum/index.php?topic=752.msg19010 it is essential to make gratitude a long-term habit. By integrating gratitude into daily life and continuing the practice beyond recovery, individuals can experience lasting benefits and maintain a positive mindset. In summary, cultivating gratitude in difficult times and shifting perspective through gratitude are essential components of the recovery journey.

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Whether it’s a chance to sleep a little later in the morning or a meeting with an old friend, note it down. Include as many gratitude-inspiring things as you can in each session. Your entries create a picture of all the positive things in your life that you may never have noticed while using drugs or alcohol. For people working on recovery from substance abuse, cultivating the proverbial “attitude of gratitude” can boost the success of all aspects of a recovery plan. For these reasons, seeing life through the lens of gratitude can also help to prevent relapses. The above videos describe the benefits of gratitude and different ways to start cultivating gratitude in your own life.

gratitude and recovery

Make a Gratitude List

gratitude and recovery

However, intentionally cultivating gratitude during these times can have a transformative effect on one’s mindset and emotional well-being. Mindfulness, the practice of being fully present in the moment, can be combined with gratitude to enhance its effectiveness. By intentionally focusing on the present moment and cultivating an attitude of gratitude, individuals can deepen http://g-ost.ru/46551.html their appreciation for the present and develop a positive outlook on life. A grateful approach allows you to take on challenges with a positive mindset. For instance, rather than viewing relapse as a failure, you can see it as an opportunity to learn and grow. This perspective can help you stay motivated and committed to your recovery goals, even when times are tough.

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They then asked another group to write about the daily irritations or things that had displeased them. The third group was asked to write about the negative and positive events that affected them. After 10 weeks of study, those who wrote about gratitude were more optimistic and felt better about their lives. They also worked out more and had fewer doctor visits than those who focused on what irritated or displeased them as well as the third group who wrote about the negative and positive events that affected them.

  • These thoughts, as mentioned, can tend to be negative, always seeing what is wrong and what we don’t want.
  • Gratitude is the key to finding the silver lining in a negative situation, and the thoughtful optimism and clarity that gratitude brings help keep the situation in perspective.
  • You can learn to be grateful for the healing journey and all the progress you make.

Making Gratitude a Habit

gratitude and recovery

So if you’re thinking of writing a letter of gratitude to someone, but you’re unsure whether you want that person to read the letter, we encourage you to write it anyway. You can decide later whether to send it (and we think it’s often a good idea to do so). But the mere act of writing the letter can help you appreciate the people in your life and shift your focus away from negative feelings and thoughts. Perhaps this suggests that gratitude letter writing produces better mental health by shifting one’s attention away from toxic emotions, such as resentment and envy. When you write about how grateful you are to others and how much other people have blessed your life, it might become considerably harder for you to ruminate on your negative experiences.

  • However, if you are able to take that negative event and laugh it off or just forget about it, the day often turns around and is a good one.
  • Gratitude should be consciously employed to battle the lack of appreciation.
  • It may be there under different names — for example, AA daily reflections.
  • From Aesop to Oprah Winfrey, the power of gratitude has transformed lives and healed relationships.
  • From new shoes to just having shoes to wear, when we sit and take a look there really is so much to be grateful for each day.

gratitude and recovery

It also helps in decreasing cortisol levels and reducing negative emotions like anxiety, depression, and stress. To get started with cultivating a grateful mindset, try keeping a gratitude journal where you write down three things you’re thankful for each day. Another technique is making it a habit of expressing thanks when someone does something kind for you.

  • As one can see, there are many people who have used gratitude in their own lives and attest to how powerful and healing it can be.
  • Regardless of whether you’re facing serious psychological challenges, if you have never written a gratitude letter before, we encourage you to try it.

Write gratitude letters

Every day, take just a moment or two to write down a few things that make you grateful. It could be spending an afternoon with a friend or https://selfimprovementguide.net/managing-and-overcoming-stress-and-anxiety/ watching the sunrise. Then, if you’re having an especially difficult day, read over some of the things that have filled you with gratitude.


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